


A hot day in Melbourne

by Chippier



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Coffee, Drabble, Fuji can't help but think of Tezuka during his walks, Gen, It's almost one-sided TezuFuji if u squint, Melbourne, New Prince of Tennis, Pre-vs Germany Match, U-17, kind of unfinished
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:41:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23553979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chippier/pseuds/Chippier
Summary: Sometimes, during his wanderings, Fuji would see something and imagine Tezuka standing beside him: what he would say, how his expressions would change, which parks he would like.
Relationships: Fuji Shuusuke/Tezuka Kunimitsu
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	A hot day in Melbourne

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I was working on this fic as a sequel for "if color blue was a feeling" but some things in canon have changed so I scrapped the other parts of this fic and posted it. This was inspired by my talks with my friend in Australia trying to make me jealous about good coffee in Melbourne.
> 
> It made me want to write about Fuji enjoying coffee in Melbourne even during the tournament. So here you go. ^^,

Fuji savored the cold brew’s mildly sweet taste sitting on his tongue. It was true that Melbourne was one of the best places in the world for anyone who loved coffee. He had been sampling different kinds of coffee since they arrived in Australia for the U-17 World Tournament. This city hadn’t failed him yet.

He liked to spend his days off exploring the city, watching people from cafes or park benches, walking around and discovering parks, bays, and markets to satiate his wanderlust and thirst for the esoteric. Sometimes, his friends went with him. There were also times when it was enough to just be on his own, bringing only his camera and his travel journal; his compass was a compromise between Google Maps and his instincts and curiosity.

Fuji wrapped his fingers around the tall glass of coffee; the condensation had made it slippery. He continued watching the scenery outside.

Today was swelteringly hot in Melbourne; the clouds and sun hung very high on a breathtaking blue sky. Other patrons in the café were also nursing frappuccinos and cold drinks; outside, pedestrians wore single layers and light clothing. Fuji himself was wearing a thin, beige long-sleeved shirt over a white top and, on a whim, the brown knit hat with cat ears from Eiji. All comfortable things.

A bit contrary to how the atmosphere in the Japanese training camp made him feel sometimes.

He didn’t think his fellow middleschoolers were aware that he had left camp alone. Everyone was a bit too high-strung since their win against France. Each one seemed to Fuji like tightly-coiled spring, ready to unravel only until their matches against Germany had been decided. The atmosphere at the camp was filled with tensed anticipation, viscous and thick.

Everyone projected a calm, relaxed, and positive attitude, as if thoughts about the upcoming matches and yet-unknown line-ups didn’t set one’s heart racing and fighting spirit burning. It was an open secret how everyone actually longed to fight in one of the matches. That the odds were high that it could be their final chance to stand on the U-17 tournament tennis court was a fact that remained unsaid.

Fuji knew all of this because he felt the same way too. Sometimes, he is still a little surprised that he could feel this kind of tension— like a heavily straining string in a bow, just waiting for the perfect moment to release the arrow. To give his best and win. Definitely win. It was a feeling that unified everyone in the Japanese camp.

He was pretty sure that their U-17 tennis coaches were also aware of all this. They were all at a level of creepily perceptive and mysterious that would definitely fascinate his older sister Yumiko.

He shouldn’t have been slacking off. He could have joined Yukimura or Ishida-san to train today. He had been planning to. However, when Fuji woke up that morning, he was filled with a desire to get out and just be with himself for a while.

+++

Sometimes, during his wanderings, Fuji would see something and imagine Tezuka standing beside him: what he would say, how his expressions would change, which parks he would like. Sitting in a café, like now, he could perfectly picture Tezuka sitting across from him, beside the glass window, watching the people outside like Fuji or reading a book. He would probably order something from this café’s meagre selection of hot teas, despite it being a hot afternoon.

Sometimes, when he’s not fantasizing, he’s just daydreaming about their time in Seigaku. Tezuka, the overachiever, had his plate full with schoolwork, captaincy, and student council responsibilities. It was never too full for Fuji, though. They still found time to walk together, spend time in the library, or eat lunch together on the school rooftop.

Then again, maybe Tezuka would scold him instead for letting his guard down and giving himself this brief reprieve when he should be training.

Fuji chuckled under his breath as he took another sip. Yes, that would be the most probable thing Tezuka would say. One-hundred percent.

 _“Don’t worry, Tezuka. I have been training hard,”_ Fuji thought in reply to his phantom Kunimitsu’s reproachful gaze. _“All these weeks, I’ve done nothing but push my limits and become stronger.”_

That’s right, Fuji thought. He had taken a good, hard look at himself and decided that, in order to become stronger and find answers he had been looking for, he had to shake off the past Fuji and start over.

_During this tournament, I will show you._

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully, I'm gonna write about a jealous Tezuka for my next fic. My Pride and Prejudice AU and MDZS au are very uncooperative at the moment, haha. 
> 
> Please stay safe and wash your hands!


End file.
